Which musician first sent Taylor Swift the instrumental that became “august”?

Jack Antonoff first sent Taylor Swift the instrumental that became “august.”

Antonoff produced the instrumental before sending it to Swift, who wrote the lyrics on the spot in what she described as an intuitive process. Their collaboration continued a creative partnership that had already produced songs for Swift’s albums 1989, Reputation, and Lover.

The song’s final production credits also include Joe Alwyn, while Aaron Dessner was another important Folklore collaborator. Those names can cause confusion because several musicians worked on the album and its associated live performances. For “august,” however, Antonoff is the collaborator specifically credited with creating and sending the initial instrumental.